[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Kurion, Inc., an innovator in nuclear and hazardous waste management, announced it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Vista Engineering Technologies, a full-service engineering, design and technology firm based in Richland, Wash. The transaction triples Kurion in size by number of employees, and the combined company has facilities in Richland, Wash., Oak Ridge, Tenn., Houston, Texas, Loveland, Colo., and Irvine, Calif. Kurion is backed by venture capital investors Lux Capital, Firelake Capital Management and Acadia Woods Partners.

“Kurion is building tremendous momentum around the world through projects in the U.S., Japan and Europe,” said Bill Gallo, Kurion CEO. “The combined talents, capabilities and technologies of the Kurion and Vista Engineering teams provide the execution platform and the scale to address our clients’ most pressing nuclear and hazardous waste problems.”

Through this transaction, Kurion acquires Vista Engineering’s entire technology, patent and trade secret portfolio. It will also retain Vista Engineering’s entire staff to accelerate the company’s growth.

Phil Ohl, president and CEO of Vista Engineering Technologies, added, “We have worked closely with the Kurion team for more than a year on global nuclear waste projects and have high respect for their expertise and technologies. Joining Kurion presents an opportunity for us to address nuclear and hazardous waste challenges around the world.”